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Abstract

Sentencing patterns in a middle-sized, Midwestern town are examined over the period 1932 to 1975. Data were gathered from the criminal court dockets and included only cases originally filed as a felony and resulting in a conviction. The analyses indicate that: (a) prosecution offelonies and subsequent convictions did not keep pace with the increase in reported crime; (b) plea bargaining became an extremely common practice in lateryears; (c) the role of court appointed defense counsel changed dramatically; (d) time delays between filing of information and sentencing increased greatly after the mid-i 960s; and (e) sentences to state penal institutions declined over the period of study. Explanations for these changes and related developments are offered.

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Felony Case Disposition Patterns in Middletown,1932-1975

Abstract

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References